Osare can make big brother Arrogate proud in Dueling Grounds Oaks

Osare is only about $17.36 million shy of matching her famous half-brother, Arrogate, who in a heady four-race span won the Travers, Breeders’ Cup Classic, Pegasus World Cup and Dubai World Cup to become the wealthiest horse in the world. Both horses are out of the Distorted Humor mare Bubbler, with Osare by Medaglia d’Oro and Arrogate by Unbridled’s Song.

But the 3-year-old filly can start making a name for herself in Sunday’s $300,000 Fifth Third Insurance Dueling Grounds Oaks. The purchase price by Ocala’s Bridlewood Farm also was $300,000 at Keeneland’s 2016 yearling sale.

Osare brings into the 1 5/16-mile race a maiden victory over 1 1/4 miles and second (though disqualified to sixth for interference) in a 1 3/8-mile allowance at Saratoga in three starts. She’s trained by Jonathan Thomas, the former steeplechase jockey and Todd Pletcher assistant who burst on the scene with Grade 1 Belmont Derby and Travers winner Catholic Boy.

“This is awesome,” said Chelsie Raabe, Osare’s exercise rider who is at Kentucky Downs for the first time. I love it here. I jump and do cross-country so this is right up my alley.”

Raabe said Osare, who arrived early Friday morning from Saratoga, should handle Kentucky Downs’ undulations and banked turns just fine because she’s used to training over similar terrain in at the farm in Ocala.

“And she’ll like the distance,” she said. “The longer she goes, the better she gets. So this should be a good race for her. And she’s knows about hills and stuff.

“She’s really cool, pretty laid back. She has so much personality it’s ridiculous. She’s always been a character, even when she first started. She’s always been super classy, always been super smart about everything, and she’s always taken everything in stride. And she loves kids. She’s one I’d trust little kids to pet her.”